Bicycles have constituted a common and popular form of transportation and exercise for hundreds of years. The appeal of bicycles lies in their cheap, environmentally friendly nature, the simplicity of the design, and the ability to experience the outdoors while covering large distances. Whether used primarily for transportation or recreation, there are many accessories which are advantageous to have while riding a bicycle, such as cargo for transportation, beverages for hydration, recreational objects for use at a destination, additional passengers, and the like.
As a result of the simple and efficient nature of bicycles, many conventional models do not provide particularly thorough capabilities for the transportation of anything except for the rider. While many bikes may be provided with small front-mounted baskets or water bottle holders, these are hardly sufficient for a number of applications, most notably that of the transportation of any load of significant weight or volume.
Various attempts have been made to provide bicycle trailer attachments. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,859, issued in the name of McClellan, describes a trailer for motor bikes. The McClellan apparatus attaches to the rear wheel of a motor bike and provides a small railed surface behind the bike.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,800, issued in the name of Christensen et al., describes a bicycle trailer for small children. The Christensen apparatus provides a small enclosure adapted for the transportation of additional passengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,371, issued in the name of Levad, describes a bicycle cargo trailer. The Levad apparatus is adapted for the secure transportation of long flat cargo such as surf boards, ladders, and the like.
Additionally, ornamental designs for a bicycle trailer exist, particularly U.S. Pat. Nos. D 340,429, D 351,575, D 404,692 and D 477,797. However, none of these designs are similar to the present invention.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such apparatuses are not adapted to carry and securely retain various types and shapes of cargo. Also, many such apparatuses are not easily retrofittable to a variety of existing and emerging models of bicycles. In addition, many such apparatuses do not pivot in multiple directions or even at all. Furthermore, many such apparatuses do not provide a method of allowing a user to quickly and easily detach and reattach the apparatus once initially installed. Accordingly, there exists a need for an attachable bicycle trailer without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.